One potentially dangerous condition is the use of a vehicle telephone by the vehicle driver while driving the vehicle. The use of telematics in general and particularly cellular telephones by drivers while driving has been found to increase the possibility of an accident since such a telephone not only diverts the driver's attention from driving, but also generally requires the use of at least one of the driver's hands and distract the driver's eyes from the road and traffic. In fact, many states and countries have enacted legislation requiring that telephones used in vehicles by drivers while driving must be of the “hands free” type and usually telematics equipment carries a warning to educate and discourage the driver about the risk of using these devices while driving. However, such legislation is difficult to enforce and education is not usually effective in assuring driver compliance. Moreover, even where the vehicle is equipped with a “hands free” telephone, drivers nevertheless still frequently use one hand for holding or dialing the telephone. When one hand is occupied by holding a telephone, the danger of causing an accident in an emergency situation is increased because of the additional reaction time required to properly grip the steering wheel with both hands. Similar danger exists when the driver attempts to control audio and video equipment, e.g. Radio, Music CD, DVD, Books on tape etc., or when the driver attempts to change environmental controls like adjusting the heat or air conditioning, or other vehicle settings.
According to another field, the aspect of selectively blocking glare from driver eyes by using photochromic film controlled electrically with feedback from a camera
According to another field, the aspect of writing on a board (e.g. blackboard) without using chalk or markers or any computer managed surface and it can be in Color or Monochrome board using Magnetic or Electrostatic stylus to write.
According to another field, the aspect deals with messaging where on many occasion we receive messages in many different medium marked as urgent or personal, etc. With this invention a Priority Confirmation Dialogue box for incoming messages to score the validity of the prioritization and create a profile about such user and consequently prioritize messages based on receiver criteria and not the sender criteria
According to another field, the aspect deals Safety tracking device for children, elderly or anyone who may have problem in getting to where they need to be and it uses a dead man switch system so if a message is not received or validation method such as connection loss can be used as a trigger based on last information received.
According to another field, the aspect deals with Intelligent Delineation of roads and simplifying machine understanding of a road signs. Many lane departure technologies use camera to detect the car position between the lanes but this technology can be defeated by snow and glare. The suggestion is to use metal shaving in the form of a code in the paint to embed information to represent different lanes and delineation function or using them in a coded way so having certain order can mean different things. Similarly for road signs, a coded system can be used universally to identify the sign for machine reading, e.g. Camera or other remote sensing technology, e.g. magnetic field, radar, RFID, etc. to detect the contents and context of the sign without resorting to expensive or sophisticated sensors and algorithms
According to another field, the aspect pertain to collecting data from driver Brain wave, neural oscillation, Electroencephalography, Magnetoencephalography or Electromyography to detect driver competence of work load while driving using a specialized Smart Headrest
According to another field, the aspect pertain to sharing data with a portable device and another device without having to use the O/S or I/Os of portable device hosting the system. And also deals with sharing portable device internal mobile device components with another external device without using O/S software or middleware to effect the sharing
According to another field, the aspect Mobile phone based vehicle interlock where a policy relating to DUI or suspended license or other restrictions are disseminated from a phone
Another field deals with Portable telematics built in camera utilization in automotive application so a device with a controller and software can make use of the camera for sensing safety related events or objects within the field of view inside or outside the vehicle
Another field deals with Modifiable docking station for portable telematics in that it allows a connection point to be affixed to a certain location and moved when another device is being used by replacing the cable only or by shifting its position
Another field Monetizing and rewarding data sharing for drivers' particularly, but is also available for non-driving related activities
Another field deals Maximizing the use of Kinetic energy already generated by managing the Potential energy existing in a moving object using foot gesture interpretation and environmental factors
Another field deals with Eco Battery where energy generated from Windmills or Solar or Wave or other natural renewable resources can be stored by variable mechanical means if other storage methods are filled to capacity
Another field deals Pedestrian Protection by utilizing a full sweep wiper that cleans the entire surface of the Windshield thus eliminating blind spots caused y dirt and snow
Another field deals with reducing strength required to push a Bicycle pedal by adding a cam for certain areas of the pedal system
Another field deals Walking style detection system to detect changes in behavior or state of competence and identify the person who is walking
Another field deals with projected direction on the street so a driver will look ahead instead of onto the screen
Another field deals Data and charging stick-on pad for portable devices to convert them from a plug in to a wireless charging, but also provide wireless data connectivity through wired protocol
Another field deals Detecting vehicle position in road lanes by detecting 3D objects and calculating distances from them and then recognizing the position of the vehicle within a lane in a 3D world
Another field deals with providing a driver E-warning instead of just verbal warning that will turn into a fine and an enforcement tool in case a driver violated a traffic rule as specified
Another field deals Collapsible and Stylish Roof Rack that can be folded into the roof so it does not cause drag and wind noise thus saving fuels
Another field deals with Automatic mirror adjustment based on driver physiology in real time so the mirrors are set to the right position even if the driver is inexperienced in the correct mirror setting.
Another field deals with Connected Utility station that can supply heating, cooling and other services while parking in inclement weather and services
Another field deals with Play one own music while on hold instead of listening to the bad quality music and increasing their annoyance
Another field deals Lane departure cameras designed to avoid sun wash, surface glare, etc. by using multiple views of the road or by changing orientation to detect the marking on the road
Another field deals Geo Heading/Bearing/Latitude/Longitude/Time of day, Day of week, day of year month of year week of year aware camera, so it can change its analysis algorithm or the lens filter to filter out lighting conditions that can affect its correct detection
Another field deals with Interactive menu for phones that uses a screen from a mobile device or from phone
Another field deals with evacuating odors from toilet bowls through existing plumbing or through existing vents.
Another field deals with docking multiple portable devices in a vehicle to be accesses conveniently by a driver without taking vision of the road
There are other potentially dangerous conditions and inherent risks in driving that depends on the driving act itself, such as rapidly accelerating or decelerating, excessive maneuvering, merging to or exiting a freeway, passing, changing lanes, changing gears, depressing the clutch, driving at high speed, negotiating a turn, braking, reverse-driving, or a stress condition on the part of the driver, that could increase the possibility of an accident should the driver be distracted by activation of the telephone or other signal or device. This inherent risk is also dependent on the driving purpose as well, for example, the risk in driving a police cruiser is inherently riskier then in driving a sedan, and driving a delivery van has different risk than driving the family van. There are other potentially dangerous conditions and inherent risks in driving due to driver poor adjustment of mirrors, or because the driver is busy changing posture back and forth and sideward trying to get a better view of the traffic in a blind spot, or the driver is busy reaching for the sun glasses to avoid glare or bringing down the sun visor or adjusting the temperature because the sun is making his side of the vehicle warm or even reaching to activate the turn signal in an unfamiliar car. All such busy activity adds to the driver workload and cognitive distraction and in some cases to stress and could increase the possibility of an accident by making the driver be distracted and takes his eyes off the road ahead and possibly his hand as well.
So the main function of the invention is to ease the work load and distraction of the driver by using data about the driver, the environment as in location, weather or traffic, the regulation, the vehicle and equipment at least on legal or etiquette aspect and historical aspect relating any of those using predefined data from a web, a LAN/Wan server a cellular service or a portable device with at least one key code allowing a controller to access the predefined data information from a Web, LAN/WAN server, cellular service and respond to real time conditions using such data statistically based on learned or present one or more algorithms known to create a condition where it reduces or eliminate accidents based on distraction and driver workload. This aspect of the invention is to use all collected data about the driver physiology and habit and preferences inside and outside the vehicle is order to provide timely assistance when necessary. It will also identify driver change in habit or physiology or verify driver identity to allow operation of vehicle and accessories based on legal, etiquette, environmental, licensing or temporal factors relating to the driver as an individual or as a subgroup of drivers.
The purpose of such assistance is to reduce such risk by reducing the driver workload, the controller will automatically activate and/or adjust accessories equipment and peripherals based on data collected in real time or on preset data that are required for safe operation of the vehicle if the driver needs such activation based on a preset or learned logic and the controller is also effective to control the output of audible or visual sounds and signals in a manner that does not distract the driver from an ongoing task in a situation where a driver is making use of such changes or adjustment
One such dangerous condition can arise when the driver does not have a clear view of the traffic because of blind spots. Blind spot in a vehicle driven over the road refer to areas that are physically blocking the driver view such as the case with the ‘A’, ‘B’ or ‘C’ pillars supporting the roof or more depending on the body design. For example, a shipping van have only ‘A’ pillar and the ‘B’ pillar starts at the back of the driver seat and continues to the end of the vehicle body. Another body related blind spot is caused by high trunk lid limiting the view through the rear back lite/windows and some time without any back window all together. Blind spot in a vehicle driven over the road is caused by rear view and side view devices such as rear view mirrors inside and outside with various optical treatment with Planar type being exactly reflective of the area reflected and convex and andaspheric used to provide the various views based on the location of the driver using the mirror and the need to cover more space than possible with the planar type. Additionally, optical cameras are now being used to eliminate blind spot to the rear of the vehicle and are being considered for other applications around the vehicle as well. Yet, there remains a problem with these devices that are caused by miss positioning and adjustment with respect to the driver physical dimensions.
Herbert et al., U.S. Pat. No. 6,188,315 and Brown, U.S. Pat. No. 6,353,778, disclose systems for avoiding preset potentially dangerous conditions while operating a vehicle having a vehicle telephone, but the systems described in those patents are of relatively limited application, and do not provide for avoiding dangerous conditions or to managing risk and individualizing the warnings to individual driving skills or application and to combinations of events and environmental conditions. Blind spots on vehicles is a known Man Machine Interface or a Human Machine Interface problem and many patents as well as engineering papers and articles have been written about them, their types and how to avoid them. One such prior popular information comes from Wikipedia.org under the article titled Blind spot (vehicle) that was reviewed with an update 26th of Feb. 2013 at 07:40. With the earliest identifiable date of Feb. 22, 2002 regarding a court case involving a boat “State v. Warren Haven”. State of Maine. 2002 Feb. 28. Retrieved 2009 Oct. 6. However, the prior art reviewed is basically a definition or a description as in the Wikipedia reference. On the patent side, Kusztos, et al. U.S. Pat. No. 4,746,206, Biondi, et al. U.S. Pat. No. 4,906,089, Sakamoto, et al. U.S. Pat. No. 7,325,936, Su, et al. U.S. Pat. No. 7,012,510, Sakamoto U.S. Pat. No. 7,837,339, Jensen U.S. Pat. No. 5,056,905, Lang, et al. U.S. Pat. No. 6,390,631, Valentino U.S. Pat. No. 6,302,547, Osha U.S. Pat. No. 6,151,175. They all expect the driver to adjust the mirror correctly and aim to adjust the mirror angle based on the vehicle action, for example turning, driving on a slope, towing a trailer etc. Some go a little further by actuating the turn signal to change the view further out to check the traffic. In addition to not assuring a correct setting in the first place, the provide a change in angle only when a driver start changing directions so there is no opportunity to scope the possible blind spot ahead of time and before they start the traffic maneuver.
* Fredricks U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,993,015 and 6,176,587 on the other hand recognized the need for the initial set up and for the need to position the mirrors based on the driver physical dimensions, but he still relied on the driver to adjust the mirror based on his own understanding of where he should sit. For example, in case the driver moved the seat forward excessively, his adjustment method cannot detect an out of parameters settings.